Tanya Brown is emotional, but she says she is also resolved and strong.

The former real estate agent says the Tuesday morning fire that seriously damaged the historic building she affectionately refers to as “her” and “she” does not mark the last day for her family-run business.

“We will definitely be back. Period. Exclamation point. Heart. Smiley Face. Flexed arm muscle,” she said. “All of that.”A message was left for the Tipp City Fire Department seeking any additional information about the fire’s cause.

Multiple fire agencies responded to the blaze after it was reported by a passerby at 5:25 a.m. Tuesday.

That morning, fire officials said flames were hard to extinguish because the building has been renovated many times and there were multiple floors to navigate to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

Tanya Brown (far right in black apron) with members of her team at Living Simply in Tipp City in November 2018.(Living Simply)

Living Simply

Demolition and restoration work has begun at the site. Brown and her family are working with their insurer.

Brown said the support her company, employees and family has received from the community has taken her breath away.

“I don’t know if I’ve expressed enough the strength we are pulling from the positive energy that is coming from all over the county,” she said. “The words ‘thank you’ don’t even say ‘thank you enough’.”